132 Mr. Denhatn Smith on the Composition of 



of guano when combined, and the table, which shows the con- 

 stituents according to the results of analysis. 



I cannot deny that this mode of analysis is extremely tedi- 

 ous and complex, and 1 fear that this complexity, combined 

 with a wish to avoid all unnecessary prolixity of description, 

 has rendered its details in many places obscure. I could wish 

 to have described a simpler and shorter mode ; but in a pro- 

 duct consisting of some fifteen to twenty substances in various 

 states of combination, a simple mode and brevity of descrip- 

 tion of analysis are I fear impossible. For ordinary purposes 

 of estimating the comparative value of a sample of guano, this 

 mode of analysis is both unfitted and unnecessary, the estima- 

 tion of the amount of uric acid, of ammonia, of phosphate of 

 lime and magnesia, with the sand, &c., being quite sufficient 

 for such purposes, and a more detailed analysis would, in the 

 majority of cases, be both time and trouble thrown away. 



Compositio?i of a sample of South American Guano in my 

 possession since ISiS. — This guano was of the colour of 

 Lundyfoot snuflfj with dirty white lumps intermixed, varying 

 in size from that of small shot to that of marbles. The quan- 

 tity submitted to analysis was 500 grs. 



No. 1. 



2 

 o 

 u 



c ^ 



.3 « 

 3 & 



.a 





c 



l-H 



Calculated Composition. 

 '•Moisture with com- 

 bined water 222-00 



Muriate of ammonia 25"5 

 Sulphate of potash, 



trace of sulph. soda 80*0 

 Oxalate of ammonia 74"0 

 Phosphate of ammonia 63"3 



^Organic matter lo'O 



Urate of ammonia... 154*18 



Uric acid 25-16 



Animal matter, with 

 water and trace of 



ammonia 11*80 



Phosphate of magne- 

 sia and ammonia . 5*64 

 Phosphate of soda ? . 1-20 

 •-Phosphate of lime... 1-86 



Oxalate of lime 25-60 



Phosphate of lime ... 197'50 

 Phosphate of magnesia 20-30 



Sand, &c 15-60 



Humus 26-36 



Other organic matter 

 with combined wa- 

 ter 34-56 



Loss 0-4 4 



1000-00 



a S 



o '^ 

 cQ-5 



Constituents. 

 Moisture and com- 

 bined water 222-00 



Hydrochloric acid ... 17"50 



Sulphuric acid 36-40 



Oxalic acid 5030 



Phosphoric acid 43-00 



Potash 43-71 



Ammonia 52-05 



-Organic matter 15-00 



Uric acid 165-23 



Ammonia 14-77 



Phosphoric acid 4-19 



Lime 1-00 



iVlagnesia 0-77 



Soda? 0-57 



L Animal matter, water 13-31 



rOxalicacid 14-40 



Phosphoric acid 102'03 



Lime 118-72 



Magnesia 7'25 



Sand,&c 15-60 



Humus 26-36 



Water, with organic 



matter 34-56 



Loss 1-28 



1000-00 



